Let's revisit the important aspects related to the "Revolt of 1857". Explore a comprehensive summary of the revolt, including causes, major centres and leaders, British resistance, and the impact of the uprising. Learn about the economic, political, and military factors behind the revolt, key figures involved, and its historical significance.
Revolt Causes
Economic Causes: Heavy taxation under new revenue settlements, summary evictions, discriminatory tariff policies against Indian products, destruction of traditional handicrafts industries, and lack of modern industrialization affected peasants, artisans, and small zamindars.
Political Causes: Greedy policy of aggrandizement, absentee sovereignty of British rule, and British interference in socio-religious affairs of the Indian public.
Military Causes: Discontent among sepoys due to economic, psychological, and religious reasons, combined with a long history of revolts.
Centres of Revolt and Leaders
Delhi: General Bakht Khan
Kanpur: Nana Saheb
Lucknow: Begum Hazrat Mahal
Bareilly: Khan Bahadur
Bihar: Kunwar Singh
Faizabad: Maulvi Ahmadullah
Jhansi: Rani Laxmibai
Baghpat: Shah Mal
The British Resistance
Delhi: Lieutenant Willoughby, John Nicholson, Lieutenant Hudson
Kanpur: Sir Hugh Wheeler, Sir Colin Campbell
Lucknow: Henry Lawrence, Brigadier Inglis, Henry Havelock, James Outram, Sir Colin Campbell
Jhansi: Sir Hugh Rose
Benaras: Colonel James Neill
Causes of Failure
Limited territorial and social base.
Crucial support of certain sections of Indian public to British authorities.
Lack of resources compared to the British.
Lack of coordination and central leadership.
Lack of a coherent ideology and political perspective.
Nature
R.C. Majumdar and S.N. Sen: “Not an organized ‘national’ revolt”
R.C. Majumdar: “Neither first, nor National War of Independence”
V.D. Savarkar: “War of independence”
Eric Stokes: “Elitist in character”
Lawrence and Seeley: “Mere sepoy mutiny”
T.R. Holmes: “A conflict between civilization and barbarism”
James Outram: “A Mohammedan conspiracy making capital of Hindu grievances”
Percival Spear: Three phases of the revolt
Effect
The Crown took over; Company rule was abolished. The Queen’s Proclamation altered administration. The army was reorganized, and racial hatred deepened.
White Mutiny: A section of European forces resented the transfer of allegiance from the Company to the Queen, resulting in unrest. The mutiny was addressed by accepting demands for free release and passage home.
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